Are Self-Help Books Worth Your Time?

I never used to read books.

Not because I thought they were pointless or anything, I just didn’t like reading. The whole act of it felt boring.

Plus, books are long. Like, I’d pick one up and immediately think, Even if I start this… when the hell am I ever gonna finish?

So yeah, I knew books were good for you, especially self-help books, but actually sitting down and reading one?

Nope.

Wasn’t happening.

Then my best friend told me about Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

This was right after I finished university—aka that weird phase where you’re out of school but have no real plan.

No structure, no deadlines, just me trying to figure out what now? I wasn’t doing much at the time, so I thought, Eh, why not?

And honestly?

The book was good.

It made me think. It wasn’t like I suddenly had my entire life figured out or anything, but it definitely opened my mind to a different way of looking at things.

Especially how much our thoughts shape our lives. That idea stuck with me. It was the first book that really clicked for me, and after that, I wanted more.

Since then, I’ve gone through seven self-help books.

But let me be real—I still struggle with actually reading physical books. I just… can’t.

So I switched to audiobooks. Way easier. I can listen while I’m doing dishes, going for a walk, or just lying down.

If I had to sit and read every single page? Yeah, I probably wouldn’t have made it past book one.

The Problem With Self-Help Books

But here’s the thing with self-help books… they can be too much.

You finish one, and suddenly you have a million takeaways.

Wake up at 5 AM.

Start journaling.

Visualize your goals.

Stop using your phone in the morning.

Meditate.

Drink lemon water.

Rewrite your limiting beliefs.

It’s like, Okay great, but where the hell do I even start?

And that’s if you even remember what you read. Sometimes, you finish a book, feel super inspired, and then a week later, you’ve already forgotten half of it.

Or worse, you keep reading book after book, getting all this great advice, but nothing actually changes in your life because you’re not applying any of it.

For a while, that was me. Just consuming book after book, getting that little boost of motivation, but not really doing anything with the information.

And then I realized—maybe the goal isn’t to read more books. Maybe it’s to actually absorb the ones that matter.

One Book, Multiple Times

So here’s what I think: if a book really speaks to you, if it clicks, if you find yourself thinking, Yeah, I actually want to apply this to my life—then don’t just read it once.

Study it.

Like, how we used to in school.

Go through it again.

Take notes.

Highlight stuff.

Actually practice what it’s saying before moving on to the next book.

Because honestly? If you just keep reading without actually applying anything, what’s the point? It’s like collecting a bunch of tools but never building anything with them.

Books Change The Way You See Things

And that’s the real value of books. They change the way you think.You ever read something, and one sentence just hits you?

Like, it makes you stop and go, Wait… I never saw it that way before. That’s what books do.

They don’t just give you new information, they give you a new perspective. And sometimes, all it takes is that one shift in mindset to change everything.

For me, Think and Grow Rich was the first book that made me see things differently.

The idea that your thoughts and beliefs literally shape your reality? That blew my mind. And once you start seeing things in a new way, you can’t unsee it.

So, Are They Worth It?

Honestly?

It depends. If you’re reading just to say you read a book, then no. If you’re speed-reading through 50 books a year just to flex on Goodreads, then definitely not.

But if you’re actually taking in the information, applying what makes sense for your life, and thinking differently because of what you read? Then yeah, absolutely.

Not every book will change your life. But the right book, at the right time? That can be exactly what you need.

Just… don’t stress about reading more. Focus on reading better.